1. Field of the Invention
A hand-held steaming device wherein the quantity of steam generated can be selectively varied and wherein the device can be used to iron large areas of fabric or to open seams.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Portable hand-held steaming devices have been used for many years for performing pressing and/or steaming functions. Typical prior art hand-held steaming devices have been products which had included a plastic casing (usually formed by injection molding) within which was located a reservoir. Located within said reservoir were a pair of spaced apart parallel electrodes. In normal use, an electrolytic solution, e.g. water and salt, was placed in said reservoir and a current passed between said electrodes. Consequently, the electrolytic solution was converted to steam and directed through an outlet passage in the casing to the point of use.
Because of the light weight and easy manipulability of hand-held steaming devices, they are desirable to use for many purposes. As an example, it is desirable to use hand-held steaming devices for opening seams. More specifically, when two pieces of fabric are sewn together there usually is a small strip of material adjacent the seam in each piece of fabric. When the fabric is used as part of a garment, each strip of material is folded back against its respective piece of fabric.
In the past, irons have been used to open seams, but of course this was undesirable in that irons were heavy in weight besides being relatively expensive. Hand-held steamers have the inherent advantage over irons in being lighter in weight as well as being less expensive.
It is also desirable to be able to use a hand-held steaming device for ironing fabric such as has been conventionally done in the past by a steam iron.
It is, or course, obvious that if a hand-held steaming device could be designed that could be utilized for opening seams as well as for ironing fabric, it would have widespread use.
It is also desirable when using a hand-held steaming device to be able selectively to vary the quantity of steam generated by the device. As an example, for certain types of use a certain rate of steam generation may be desirable, whereas for other types of use a differing rate of steam generation (either higher or lower) might be required. It is thus desirable for a hand-held steaming device to be able to generate varying amounts of steam in accordance with the conditions of use and the requirements of such use.